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There's a nice mosaic in the building's lobby and I was wondering if anyone could grab a pic of it.
It still mystifies me that the church is going to tear down this large building to build a similarly sized condo-tower in an area that is not even very desirable to live in.

Since Trinity has no record of developing residential, I'm betting they're going to to tear the building down and sell the site to a developer along with transferring the hundreds of thousands of square feet of air rights they must have locked up at the church-yard.

Condominiumization of the Church aka Theo-Condos

They'll split the site into multiple tax lots, with the developer taking control of all new residential (and perhaps commercial) tax lots. Trinity will hold on to one tax lot in the new building for "church business."

Similar action is now in motion for the old St. Patrick's Convent & School, one of the oldest extant structures downtown, where the Catholic church & investors are splitting up the goods for residential conversion (with some demo & construction thrown in for good measure):

Also similar to the Garment District in that they are both classic pieces of Gotham-style 1910s-30s New York that are being torn down for some of the cruddiest "architecture" in the New World.

Why aren't people protesting Trinity over this? I'm talking stickers on their doors shaming them, people holding signs outside the church + distributing brochures to tourists telling them what sort of a religious institution Trinity is... you get the idea.

As a church, one would think they must have (unlike Sam Chang) some shame and could be persuaded to end their hellish greedride by appealing to their supposed sense of morality and decency.

Also similar to the Garment District in that they are both classic pieces of Gotham-style 1910s-30s New York that are being torn down for some of the cruddiest "architecture" in the New World.

Why aren't people protesting Trinity over this? I'm talking stickers on their doors shaming them, people holding signs outside the church + distributing brochures to tourists telling them what sort of a religious institution Trinity is... you get the idea.

As a church, one would think they must have (unlike Sam Chang) some shame and could be persuaded to end their hellish greedride by appealing to their supposed sense of morality and decency.

Chasing the Moneychangers OUT of the temple? That kind of adherence to the faith would be inexcusable.

Does it really still have non-profit status? If they are going to raze the city's beautiful architectural heritage for profit, they have as much business having non-profit status as does Donald Trump or Google.

Who used to run Trinity Church's real estate division? The same person who has just been appointed by Mayor Bill deB as the new City Planning Commissioner: Carl Weisbrod (who also headed deB's transition team and was instrumental in all appointments for the new administration).

So unless deB is strong in his convictions (and actually has some that are in opposition to the previous mayor) chances are things aren't going to change that much. Sadly.

The first permits are up for a new 44-story mixed-use tower at 68 Trinity Place, which has apparently seen a height increase since Pelli Clarke Pelli was chosen to design, last July.

Trinity Church will occupy 93,180 square feet on the first seven floors, while 111 residences will split 157,185 square feet on upper levels. The tower’s total scope will measure 250,995 square feet, and it will stand 499 feet tall. The 42nd and 43rd floors will each have one penthouse residence.

Pelli Clarke Pelli’s scheme placed a 25-story tower atop a seven-story base, so the residential component has apparently stretched skinnier and taller. This would not be unexpected given the vertical progression of other projects in the neighborhood, many of which will soar well over 500 feet.

Facade of original 68-74 Trinity Place, which will soon be demolished

Unfortunately, the new tower at 68 Trinity requires the demolition of a handsome pre-war structure, though per the Church, it has decayed considerably on the inside. With Pelli Clarke Pelli hopefully still designing the replacement, it should be attractive; despite the loss, the added density will benefit the neighborhood, which can still feel desolate outside of office hours.

The Stephen B. Jacobs Group is listed as the architect of record, and construction is expected to begin this fall, with completion set for 2017.